The River in Me

Guided by Beijing based Chinese ethno-rock musician SU Yang, The River in Me takes us on a musical journey to SU’s hometown in Northwest China, where the traditional art forms of Qinqiang, Piying, and Huaer originated. As part of the research result of a three-year ethnographic project, the documentary depicts how the local villagers embrace life through their unique musical and artistic expressions, and how they struggle to keep those traditions alive.

The film includes a number of marvelous pieces of the traditional folklores and their contemporary adaptations. Coupled with the camera’s sensual touch of magical Loess Plateau and Yellow River in that region, The River in Me truthfully presents life as it is in Northwest China: raw, passionate, and full of vitality.